"Though I had expected a larger leap in image quality over the GH2, the GH3 is by far the better all-round camera. The image is much cleaner when shooting high contrast scenes with a lot of shade and it's better in low light. While it no longer offers the slightly wider 1.86x crop sensor of the GH2 or such bullet-proof performance in terms of moiré & aliasing, it extends the already attractive feature set to new levels. 1080/60p gives you the creative freedom of smooth slow-motion at the highest resolution. 72Mbit ALL-I and 1080/60p in the same camera are missing from the $15,000 Canon EOS C300, let alone the GH3's full-frame DSLR rivals.

"The Panasonic Lumix DMC GH3 is a very good camera, among the best tested by DxO Mark in this format. It is small and light and will make an excellent camera to travel with and fulfils all of the requirements that a serious enthusiast is likely to have. However, it is pricey for a hybrid and it has competition from several directions. The Olympus is even smaller and lighter and scores slightly higher but it does lack a viewfinder. For a similar price you could be buying either the Pentax K 01 or the K-5 IIs, both of which have scores consistently higher than the Lumix but obviously with the overhead of a bulkier and heavier piece of . . . read more

Well, that was distracting, but the darn OM-D keeps turning up in places it shouldn't. This time its in Tech Radar's Fujifilm 2 flagship cameras comparison, and their place among the top competitors, the NEX7, the GH3, and the E-M5. Things look pretty normal until the Raw performance comparison charts. Also noteworthy, the rather unimpressive results given by the GH3:

"The signal to noise ratios of the TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Fuji X-E1 don't compare quite as well for signal to noise ratio as the JPEGs did, coming behind the Olympus OM-D at all sensitivities and below the Panasonic GH3 at ISO 200 and 400. The Fuji X-E1 beats the Panasonic at higher sensitivities though, and beats the Sony NEX-7 andFuji X-Pro1.". . . read more

"The Panasonic 35-100 mm delivers sharp images across all focal lengths from full aperture to aperture 8. Above that, the resolution decreases as a result of diffraction. This is the best micro-43 zoom lens we have reviewed to date, with the Panasonic 12-35 mm yielding more or less equivalent results (but at a different focal length range). In the graph with Imatest values at the right below, you can see how beautifully high and constant the resolution is. The images are measurably sharper in the center, with the maximum being located at aperture 4 to 5.6. Nevertheless, with the naked eye, the difference in resolution between the corners and the center is not visible.". . . read more

"A little more than a year ago I bought the GH2. For the longest time I refused to get on the DSLR bandwagon. I was quite satisfied with my Sony EX1 and its XLR inputs and ability to shoot hours on end. However, even a minimal kit was bulky.

I wanted something small if I had to travel light or needed a second camera. The GH2 caught my attention and didn’t have a lot of the restrictions of other DSLRs. Some control over audio levels, no recording limits, no reports of overheating. Easily hackable to get great quality. Plus it was under $1,000. A great deal when you’re just looking for a second camera.. . . read more

"The Panasonic GH1 and GH2 had pretty much the same rolling shutter properties. I have previously examined the rolling shutter artefacts of the GH3, compared with the GH2, and found that the GH3 has somewhat less artefacts. But my test was based on a rotating propeller setup, which is not so realistic. Rolling shutter artefacts are typically identified when panning quickly during video recording. This can lead to "wobbly" effects, square objects can be seen to lean towards one side.. . . read more

This is a Sans Mirror award, so, fans of mirrors and smoke please look elsewhere. Thom's nominees include the Sony NEX-6, the Panasonic GH3, and the Fujifilm X-E1:

"The E-M5's image quality is good enough that it basically replaced my Nikon D7000 (DX DSLR) as my hike-deep-into-the-backcountry camera. Why? Because I gave up nothing terribly significant in the sensor, but lost weight and size while gaining some exceptional small lenses (Note to Nikon: please get off your butt and make some more, and better, DX . . . read more

"A lot of people think the smaller sensor cameras like the GH3 can’t hold up to the full frame sensor cameras. I’m going to do a live test with no practicing or cheating to see if that’s true. So I’m going to shoot the pictures at the same ISO and exposure settings and then compare on the computer. I shot raw files in this test because I’m a raw shooter. With raw files you can do quick and easy noise reduction using LR, Photoshop or Elements Adobe camera raw controls, but sometimes I don’t like the look that produces. I do a quick demo in the video too.". . . read more

"Panasonic GH3 Setup Guide. This video will show you some Tips and Tricks for setting up your GH3. It focuses on setting up the Custom 1-5 settings. However, the very end of the video has several demonstrations of issues with the camera so make sure you watch it all the way through. If you like the video then please rate it and subscribe to my channel if you want to see more videos like it. The GH3 has improved on almost everything over the GH2. However, its high ISO still quality is probably the biggest improvement and it is the reason I bought it.. . . read more

"We've been using the first-generation Panasonic GH1 for the last three years, hacked for high bit rates, and we've yet to see a camera that surpasses it for video quality – until now. The GH1 held its own for details and noise, matching the GH3's AVCHD mode but not quite keeping up with its QuickTime mode. However, the GH3 was in a different league in its ability to pick out subtle textures, particularly in darker areas of the frame. It also exhibited a more flattering colour palette, with stronger contrast without resulting in clipping and none of the banding that the GH1 and various other Lumix G cameras have exhibited in skin tones.. . . read more

"Next two days are supposed to have some sunshine so I'll hopefully get some more decent opportunities to run the outfit through its paces. However this camera already ticks more boxes for me than anything else I've ever bought, so I am expecting great things. Its pretty obvious that there has been some serious input into this by photographers, something that hasn't always been in evidence with some previous Panasonic m4/3 cameras. Those dark days of the

"Feature-packed, the Panasonic Lumix GH3 is up there with the best Micro Four Thirds cameras, but it sure is a pricey purchase. It's even more cash than the Olympus OM-D, but in a more bloated and less "edgily" styled body.

Will it woo the crowds already attached to DSLR brands? It's not necessarily a hard sell on paper, as there are features by the bucketload. But with hardened fans of the best-known DSLR brands, the GH3 does feel a little adverse to what we . . . read more

"You can now remotely control your camera from your tablet or smartphone. By downloading the Lumix Link app on your mobile device and transmitting a Wi-Fi signal from your GH3, you can instantly use your phone, tablet, etc. as a wireless monitor, hit the record button, change focus by tapping (on electronic lenses) and much more! I will personally be using this function soon for an underwater shoot, where I will operate the camera from above ground… That is if the app that is required starts to work properly.. . . read more

"If you need dual dials, a built-in intervalometer, in-camera HDR, the silent electronic shutter, unhacked high-bitrate video recording, and/or a headphone jack, the GH3 is clearly the way to go. If you need the sharpest, clearest EVF available; you’re happy with 24 Mbps AVCHD; and you can live without the features the GH3 adds, the GH2 is 90% of the camera for 50% of the price.

Bottom line: the GH3 is a very capable MFT still camera; a step beyond the GH2 with a price to match. But if you’re looking . . . read more

"A daytime run thru of the main picture scenes/(profiles), Scene Guides and Creative Control. Many of these effects are to be found on other Lumix cameras - the GH3 just happens to make them look so much better with the availability of high bitrates. Shot in the UK rain, handheld and cold, I think I'm excused for the rather hasty collection of wide 'fixed' shots but it gives you a rough idea of what 'style' you can expect of your pictures in-camera, without the grading.. . . read more

"Conventionally GH3 shows images at 125, 200 and 400 ISO fine grain bills with a perfectly controlled, a good dynamic and dense colors. On flat colors, noise is visible from 800 ISO with a characteristic treatment of Panasonic: smoothing rather coarse. It will be possible to mount ISO 1600 without problem with a chromatic noise well contained. Treatment is logically pushed to ISO 3200. Mottling occurs easily in dark areas and flat colors are stitched pixel outliers and

"I filmed this very short preliminary high ISO test at my house putting the GH3 on my sofa with one of my cats.
No professional lights added (only the artificial light sources of my living room).
New and accurate test in the next days. Recording mode: ALL-I 25p No color". . . read more

"As Panasonic’s flagship digital single lens mirrorless (DSLM) camera (more commonly referred to as a compact system camera) the Lumix GH3 has come on a long way from the two-year-old GH2 and brings with it a generous range of improvements. Indeed, with its larger hand grip, bigger battery, superb touchscreen and integrated Wi-Fi connectivity we don’t have any hesitation in saying the GH3 is one of the most intuitive CSCs we’ve used". . . read more

"While the autofocus works like a dream with the 14-140 mm lens, we do think it's a shame that Panasonic's engineers didn't think to include a peaking function to highlight sharp parts of the image when focusing with manual lenses. A zebra function could also have been handy to make sure subjects are properly exposed. Finally, a picture profile like Technicolor CineStyle could have made a nice addition to help optimise the dynamic range."

"In our performance testing we were quite impressed by the GH3’s abilities, as it turned out great results for most of the major image quality tests. We were most impressed by how sharp the GH3’s images were with the optional 12-35mm f/2.8 kit lens. The JPEGs. . . read more

"The GH3 challenges DSLRs at a similar price point in the way it handles and operates, but what about image quality? In isolation the detail that's resolved by the 16MP sensor is very respectable indeed and it's not until you compare the results side-by-side with a camera that uses an APS-C sized sensor that you realise there's fractionally less detail in the GH3's files. . . read more

"But lets talk about what everyone is curious about, the Panasonic DMC-GH3! As you can see in the video, it’s a fantastic performer. While the footage in the video is unedited, I was really impressed by how much the video can be edited. I also love the new control layout, it’s endlessly customizable and everything is right at your fingertips. The GH3 is also the first mirrorless camera that I’d actually consider using the autofocus. It’s fast, accurate, and not nearly as jerky as the . . . read more

Yes, its this time of the year, the 'award and predictions (that mostly fail) for the next year' time. DCI is first, with, in some categories, slightly peculiar selection:

"2012 has been one of the most exciting years yet for the staff here at DigitalCameraInfo.com, as the photographic industry put the woes of 2011 behind it to release some truly amazing cameras. From flagship DSLRs to incredible compacts, there . . . read more

"The GH3 features a completely new 16 megapixel sensor, as well as a new 1.744 million dot electronic OLED viewfinder, that uses an RGBG array for better performance as well as a 1000:1 contrast ratio. The new 3 inch touch screen is also an OLED unit, and has greatly improved viewing angles.. . . read more

"The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is not designed to slip into a pocket, and it is interesting that as Panasonic clearly views its CSCs as a viable alternative to a DSLR system, they don't need to be compact to sell. Taking a wise approach to the improvements it has introduced in the GH3, such as keeping the pixel count the same and instead improving the performance of the sensor, has led to better low-light and dynamic range performance. Also, its class-leading video features are sure to please those in that field. However, Sony's NEX-7 still has the edge for image quality.. . . read more

Not only is the GH3 physically the largest and heaviest micro four thirds camera to date, it is so big it actually towers over some aps-c DSLRs, like the recently introduced Sony SLT A37. But Panasonic did not blow up the size just for the looks. Behind the (large) hood, there's a substantial amount of new goodies and refinements, needed to keep up with the current competition crowd in the top mirrorless segment. . . . read more